Anyone willing to raise his head above the parapet for our sport is going to be very publicly vilified and congratulated in equal measure. I hope they have thick skins, because like me they are going to need them.

We need to mobilise the slumbering 99% of British anglers presently affiliated to nothing and no-one and urge them to spare the price of a pint, to not only save our sport, but also to secure a powerful representation and control of it’s future.

If the ordinary decent and albeit apathetic angler is to be convinced to pay even one extra penny to rescue his sport from a mire he may not even recognise, he or she must be utterly convinced from the very outset that neither politician, Government funded or controlled agency, self interested quango, tsar!!, egotistical hothead (we all know some of these), or indeed anyone else with a cynical tunnel vision or malign agenda could ever control the resulting purse strings.

Many anglers I come into contact with from grass roots level upwards (these by the way are both the bedrock of our sport and the final arbiter of the success or otherwise of any future vision) are already seriously questioning the point of purchasing an annual Environment Agency rod license at all. This is extremely worrying and although I totally disagree with them, I fully understand their frustration and point of view. Anglers see their waters disappearing through abstraction and the concreting over of flood plains (Prescott). The Agency is a crucially important and knowledgeable consultant re the process leading to any such decision, but is more often than not able to be ignored by omnipotent local council planners. We see our precious fish plundered with seeming impunity by a plethora of Eastern Europeans, 600,000 last year alone from latest admitted Government figures and set to mushroom despite sticking plaster measures to stem the flow.

The Environment Agency itself through absolutely no fault of its own is virtually powerless to police many of our rivers given out of control health and safety legislation and risk assessment requirements, rabid political correctness and rampant litigiousness so effectively imported from America for the benefit only of an already fat legal system. Add to this a paranoia regarding accusations of child abuse if anyone even looks at a kid on a riverbank and you can truly understand their predicament. To add to their frustration and despite mounting disquiet they can’t break ranks to air publicly their views because of pressure from their political paymasters to hold the line and present a united front, however fragile this may be.

I know for a fact and from personal conversation that a growing number within the agency on all levels are increasingly mortified by the growing wedge being driven between themselves and anglers, exacerbated by a real and perceived inability to address many patently obvious problems. 

FACT
If the environment Agency can’t muster the strength to admit to themselves and then alert Government to the obvious and growing link between the exasperation of anglers and a clear resultant disinclination to purchase an annual rod license, they will inevitably continue a corrosive drift of self denial. They do however deserve our genuine sympathy and support. Overwhelming flood defence prioritising from above, environmental budgets slashed, swathing staff cuts at the worst possible moment, Government meddling and now to top it all mounting flack from sadly unsympathetic anglers. Theirs must be a soul destroying task at present and they too need a powerful angling lobby to effectively pressure Government into having to give more priority to the riverine environment. The Agency can’t say this themselves, but nothing would please them more or better enable them to do the work they too would love to do.

FACT
If we as anglers think for a moment that any or al of our problems can or should be tackled by a Maverick or direct action approach we too are sadly deluded and would pose a dangerous threat to our credibility and to our future as an acceptable sport. Environment agency professionalism, infrastructure and expertise must and will have to become part of a structured solution.

I have recently been challenged to find a rapid solution to the fish-stealing crisis on the Wandle in South London. I led the rehabilitation of this river and spent almost 13 years, latterly with the welcome support of a passionate group of kindred spirits. We helped to transform this once famous stream from designated sewer to now fine specimen river. One of the best in the country or at least it was going to be. All of this only achieved given a measured and common sense disregard for the laughable excesses of health and safety. This uplifting story was lauded over the years in the press, on television, radio, all media locally, nationally and even internationally as a genuine beacon of hope for urban anglers.

Tragically, over the past 18 months to 2 years I would estimate that approximately 70% of the Wandle's finest most cherished stock, barbel to 15lb+, carp to 20lb+ (traditional Christmas dinner for Poles), huge chub, roach, rudd, dace, perch, eels and trout, have all been taken and eaten by various nationalities of Eastern European origin and the occasional Chinese. Surely none of us expected this to happen.

These gentlemen, openly and with self confidence have been depleting the river to the understandable growing and festering anger of the local home-based sport angler and I now despair of the inevitable and promised consequences. Few if any used to buy licenses, many have now learned that a license is key to taking fish without consequence. They also seem rarely to understand English, a very effective ploy. The majority use sea rods, often fibreglass with 30lb line, the less purist will employ hand lines or tie deadlines from bridges, railings and rocks and even net the more favourable pools. More often than not they will replace precious fish with lager cans and rubbish. All of this I have personally witnessed many times over the last couple of years and it breaks my heart. I occasionally intervene to aid the liberation of the odd fish in its plastic bag and will no doubt be arrested at some point for ruining their sport or for raising my voice. Quite right too, how dare I vent my discontent.

I have never seen an Environment Agency officer checking licenses on the Wandle, very few have. Not their fault. You see they are not allowed along category ‘A’ designated rivers such as this unless travelling in pairs and wearing stab jackets, consequently they do not have the resources to cope. Just in case our twitcher friends are chuckling at the angler’s plight most of the Wandle’s indigenous duck population have now also been taken. Hey ho.

My proposal for a solution to angling’s problems would be grass roots led, fiercely independent and led by and owned by anglers themselves. It is this: I propose the creation of a National Union of British Anglers comprising a membership from every element of our sport, sea, coarse, and game. (National - From England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.) (Union -The literal use of the word). (British - Any individual fishing legitimately and lawfully in Britain irrespective of nationality, religion, colour, race, status or class). (Angler - Sport fisherman). First proposed step - I propose a biannual convention, the first to be held on June 1st 2007 in Birmingham. (We would now have an immediate focus and target to aim for without awaiting the wranglings of others).

Who will be there?
I would invite the Environment Agency first of all, then Government representatives, Keith Arthur, the ACA, SATA, WTT, NFA, The Fly Fishers Club, The Scottish Irish and Welsh equivalent of all of these. With the help of the press I would ask anglers to nominate respected individuals from the world of coarse, sea and game angling throughout Britain, who would then be invited as delegates, reps from angling clubs, youth organisations, governing bodies, trade and industry where applicable, the RSPB, possibly even PETA, and crucially a cross section of ordinary interested anglers. Not forgetting embassy reps from Russia, Poland, Cosova etc. Their advice and involvement would be invaluable.

Why will they be there?
To confront the present state of angling, it’s problems, opportunities, the threat to it, it’s future and how to secure it. To spark debate and formulate a mass movement of anglers to at last reflect our potential to influence events. To force politicians to listen. Again I would ask the angling press to poll it’s readership to ascertain the 20 most pressing concerns of anglers today. This could allow grass roots anglers to set the agenda at the inaugural convention.

My solution is £3 per adult, (the price of a pint) and £1 for children (a can of coke). Of course all of this is all mere delusional fantasy if ordinary anglers see fit to ignore this opportunity.

Alan Suttie